Universal joint



\ T. P. LEAMAN UNIVERSAL JOINT March 7, 1939.

Filed April 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l mm w W m L m J m March 7, 1939. p LEAMAN 2,149,352

UNIVERSAL JOINT Filed April 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1/5? INVENTOR.

6 rim/Ms F: LEflM/Y/V.

I60 (47 748 {5/ BY ATTORNEY.

I Patented Mar. 7 1939 I c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNIVERSAL JOINT Thomas P. Leaman; Babylon, N. Y.

' Application April 18, 1938, Serial No. 202,660

6 Claims. (Cl. 6421) This invention relates toauniversal joint. the pocket 34a'land is secured in place by the The object of the invention is the production of spline 35 and diagonally opposite screws 36. a universal joint, by means of which rotation can The socket 34 has integral therewith the pair of be easily transmitted from one shaft to another, prongsfl and 38 similar to the prongs 24 and 25. I: with the'axis of one shaft coaxial with the other or The prong 31 is shown with the concave spherical 5" making an angle therewith. V shaped and oppositely positioned ball races 40 and The second object of the invention is the pro- 4|, and the prong 38 is indicated with the concave duction of a universal joint having balls for the spherical shaped oppositely positioned ball races I transmission of power from one of its shafts to the 42 and 43.

always being normal to the surface of its coacting races of the prongs of the universal joint. The prong races. ball race 21 of the prong 24 and the ball race 29 of I The third object of the invention is the producthe prong 25, lie in the spherical surface of a tion of a universal joint having prongs with Opposphere indicated by the dotted line 50 which passes other, the torqueforce passing through the balls Referring to Fig. 2 attention is called to the ball in sitely positioned concave spherical ball races, through the point C. The ball race 26 of the which support power transmitting balls, the pro g 2 and t e ba rac 23 0 e prong 25116111 centers of whichare confined to the plane bisectthe surface of the sphere indicated at 5|, which in'g-thedihedr'al angle of the inclination of the also pa e through t point C. The Spheres two shafts. and 51 are tangent to each other at'the said point t The fourth object of the invention is the pro- C. The point C is located at the intersection of duction of a, universal joint, in which power is the longitudinal axes Of the shafts 20 and 33, when transmitted from one shaft to a second shaft at a t e latter a inclined to e h th S e constant velocity. The concave spherical shaped ball race 40 of the In th 'dr ings Fi 1 r pr nts n l ti n prong 31, and'the concave spherical shaped ball an exemplification of the universal joint with race 4 of t e prone 8 lie in the surface of the 25 four prongs; Fig 2 shows a, section of Fig, 1 on the sphere 52, which latter passes through the point C. line 5. 3 is a vertical section through th The concave spherical shaped ball race 4| of the left an portion v Fig Fjg'45hOWS a View prong 31and the vconcave spherical shaped ball similar to Fig.1 with its shafts inclined to each race 43 f the prone e i the surface of the other; Figfishowsan elevation ofa modification Sphere 53 which also passes through e point 30' of t universal joint t six prongs; Fig 6 is a The diameters of the spheres 5|], 5|, 52 and 53 Section of Fig .5 on the line 5 5; 7 Shows a are equal to one another, and their surfaces all section similar to Fig; 6 withpower' transmitting extend through the point A square is indirollers in place of balls; Fig. 8 represents anelevacated in its entirety y th u eral 55, and the s tion of a further modification f th universal intersecting points of its sides indicate the centers 5' joint; Fig. 9 is a section of Fig. 8 on the line 9, 9; of the spheres i 52 and F ,loishows partial section ofvFi .g the line The power transmitting balls for the universal l0, Ill; Fig. 11 represents a bottom view of a porjoint are shown at and and they tion of Fig.8 and'Fig. 12 is a section of Fig.11 on bear against the concave spherical shaped ball the line [2, l2. 3 l

Referring to Figs 1 to 4, a shaft 20 is detachshown in The center of gravity of the ably connected to the socket 2 I, having the cylincombined balls B" and B415 at the point drical vpocket 21m The shaft 20 is positioned in When power is transm tted from the shaft 33 to the pocket 2| a, and is secured in place by the the shaft 20 m the.d1re(.3tmn of the spline 22 and the screws23. The socket 2| has E Its opposlte i B4 45' integral therewith the pair or similar ron s 24 i t an en pwer is rams and 25. The prong 24 is shown with th: co cave g m agi gofiposlte t9 the arrow the spherical shaped and oppositely positioned ball a an 1 S Iagona 1y opposite banBa transmits said power. The driving forces of the balls races 25 and 27, and the prong 25 1S Indicated Wlth are always normal to the concave spherical races the concave spherical shapedand oppositely posiof their coacting tioned ball races28 and 29. The second shaft of In i 4 th x s of th shafts 26 and 30 are the universal joint is indicated at 33 and is detachinclined to each other, and to determine the ably connected to the socket 34 having the cylinproper position of any of the power transmitting races of the prongs with which they coact as 40 drical pocket 34a. The shaft 33 is positioned in balls we will consider the ball B|. A line is 55' drawn through the point C at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 33, and a line 6| is drawn through the point C at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 20. The angle between the lines 60 and 6| is indicated at X, and the center of the ball BI is located in a plane 62 bisecting the angle X. The concave spherical ball races of the prongs coacting with the ball BI confine the latter to the said plane 62.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, which show a six prong universal joint, a shaft 10 is indicated with its socket 1I having the cylindrical pocket Na and the projection 12. The shaft 10 is positioned in the pocket 1Ia. and is detachably secured in place by the spline 14 and the screws 15 similar to 23. The socket H has connected thereto the similar detachable prong members 11, 18 and 19. Each of said prong members is provided with the recess 8|, which engages the adjacent projec tion 12. A screw 83 connects each of the prong members 11, 18 and 19 to the socket H.

The second shaft of the universal joint is indicated at 96, and its socket is shown at 9| similar to H, with the cylindrical pocket 9Ia. The shaft 90 is positioned in the pocket 9Iw and is detachably secured in place by the spline 94 similar to 14 and the screws 95.

The socket 9! has connected thereto the detachable prong members 91, 98 and 99 similar to 1'1, 10 and 19, by screws 83 as described for the other prong members. The prong member 11 is shown with the concave spherical ball race I52, with its surface coincident with the surface of the sphere I03, and the concave spherical ball race I04 is coincident with the surface of the sphere I05. The detachable prong member 18 is shown with the concave spherical ball race I05 coincident with the surface of the sphere I51, and the concave spherical race I08 is coincident with the surface of the sphere I09. The detachable prong member 19 is indicated with the concave spherical ball race II2 coincident with the surface of the sphere H3, and the concave spherical ball race H6 is coincident with the surface of the sphere II 1. It will be noted that all the spheres I03, I05, I01, I09, H 3 and II1 are of the same diameter, and pass through the point C in the longitudinal axes of the shafts 15 and 90. Y

The detachable prong members 91, 90 and 99, are provided with the concave spherical races I20, I22, I24, I26, I28 and I30, similar to the ball races of the prong members 11, 18 and 19.

Power transmitting balls B5 are provided for the prong members.

The center of gravity of the balls B5 is always at the point C where the shafts 10 and 90 intersect when inclined to each other.

Referring to Fig. '1, a section is indicated similar to that shown in Fig. 6. Prongs I32, I33, and I34 are indicated for one of the sockets, not shown, of the universal joint, and prongs I35, I36 and I51 are indicated for the other socket, not shown, of the universal joint.

In this instance instead of the power transmitting balls, rollers B1 are used, each having the surface I38, which conform to the concave spherical bearing surface I39 of each of the prongs of the universal joint. The surfaces I39 are coincident with the surfaces of the spheres of equal diameter, two of which are shown at I40 and MI. Each of the latter spheres pass through the point C in the longitudinal axes of the shafts of the universal joint. The centers of the latter spheres are all located in the circle I42.

Referring to Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive, another modification of the universal joint is indicated, and is preferably used when the longitudinal axes of the shafts of the universal joint are inclined to each other only a few degrees. In this instance a shaft I45 is connected to the socket I46 having the cylindrical pocket I45a, the jaws I41 and a recess I48. The said shaft I45 is positioned in the pocket MM and is secured in place by the spline I49 and the screws I50. To each of the jaws I41 is connected a detachable prong member I5I, by means of the screws I52, which extend through the openings I53. Each prong member I5I is indicated having the cylindrical body portion I55, and the projection I56 at its lower end. 'Near the upper end of the body portion I55 are indicated the concaved spherical bearing pockets I51, which each have the concavedspherical bearing surface I58 with the inclined circumferential wall I59. The surfaces I58 are each coincident with the surfaces of spheres, one of which is shown at I60 having the radius I6 I. The said spheres all pass through the point C of the longitudinal axes of the shafts of the universal joint as already described.

One end of the radius I6I of the surface I58 is indicated at the point I62, of the line I63 struck with the radius I64. The other shaft of the universal joint is indicated at I10, which supports the socket I II having the cylindrical pocket Ilia and jaws I12, each with the recess I12a.. The shaft I10 is positioned in the pocket "Ia and is secured in place by the spline I13 and the screws I14.

To each of the jaws H2 is connected a detachable prong member I15 similar to I5I and which has extending therefrom the projection I16, which engages the recess I12a. Near the outer end of each prong member I15 is indicated the spherical concaved bearing pocket I11 similar to I51. Power transmitting balls B8 are sealed in the pockets of the prong members. Screws I80 connect the prong members I15 to the jaws I12.

The invention may be modified by inserting a third shaft between the pair of shafts as described, and connecting the third shaft with the other shafts, by means of power transmitting balls and their coacting concave spherical shaped ball races as described.

Various modifications may be made in the invention and the present exemplification is to be taken as illustrative and not limitative thereof.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. In a universal joint the combination of a pair of sockets, a shaftsupported in each socket, said sockets having prongs with oppositely positioned concave spherical shaped ball races and balls positioned in each pair of oppositely positioned ball races.

2. In a universal joint the combination of a pair of shafts with their longitudinal axes in line or inclined to-each other, a socket detachably connected toeach shaft, each socket having prongs extending therefrom, the latter having concaved spherical shaped ball races, and a ball positioned in the ball races of each pair of adjacent prongs to transmit rotation from one shaft to the other.

3. In a universal joint the combination of a pair of shafts, a socket supported on each shaft having prongs extending therefrom, each prong having oppositely positioned concave spherical shaped ball races, and balls positioned in each pair of adjacent ball races of the prongs, the surfaces of said ball races coincident with the surfaces of spheres of equal diameter extending through the longitudinal axes of the shafts at their intersection when inclined to each other.

4. In a universal joint to transmit power and rotation, the combination of a pair of shafts, a socket supported in each shaft, a detachable prong member connected to each socket, each prong member having oppositely positioned concave spherical shaped ball races formed therewith and power transmitting balls between the ball races of the prongs of one socket and the ball races of the adjacent prongs of the other socket.

5. In av universal join to transmit power, the combination of a pair of shafts with their axes in line or inclined to each other, a socket supported on each shaft, a spline and screws connecting each socket to its shaft, each prong having oppositely positioned concave spherical shaped ball races formed therewith and a power transmitting ball between the ball race of each prong of one socket and the adjacent ball race of the prong of the other socket.

6. In a universal joint to transmit power, the combination of a pair of shafts with their axes in line or inclined to each other, a socket detachably supported on each shaft having jaws integral therewith, prong members detachably connected to each jaw, each prong member having a pair of concaved spherical shaped bearing pockets formed therewith and power transmitting balls bearing against the spherical surface of each pocket of the prong members of one socket and the spherical surface of the adjacent pocket on the prong member of the other socket.

THOMAS P. LEAMAN. 

